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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

aibu to not understand why dog owners let their dogs sleep with them in bed?

331 replies

firthy85 · 27/12/2020 18:14

to get things straight i am a pet lover and grew up with many different dog breeds. some with great personalities of their own and good company but they are pets at the end of the day right?. i never had any problem if a dog wanted to sleep in my bedroom but they had a dog's bed. surely encouraging a dog to sleep in your bed is setting the dog up for a fall? god forbid something ever happened to you as the owner and the dog had to be rehomed it could be a nightmare for the dog's new owner if they are strict about dog/human boundaries. so what do you think?

OP posts:
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AcornsVsBcorns · 28/12/2020 07:40

@firthy85

just to remind a few people that i did say i had grown up with dog's so i am not an mn dog hater. also to the people who say "make your family decisions around your dog" well not to be judgy at all but that sums up the problem. you make your dog decisions around your family surely? when your thinking of getting a dog so much has to be thought about do you have toddlers, what breed of dog would best suit your situation and the fact some of you don't mind the fact you for example may have a bitch who has had a jolly good ol lick of her minge then climbed into your bed makes me wonder what the rest of your house is like? environmental health would have a field day. jumping up and face licking is fine they jump up, you make a fuss of them then you say "down" sit stroking etc that is showing them you love them.ps to the people who asked why it bothered me um duh? is this not a forum where people ask all sorts of questions? parenting help,things that have happened to them,or just other random burning questions? surely
You didn't really ask a question, though. You made a judgement. I.e. you didn't really seek to understand, you sought to make people feel bad or make yourself feel superior.

A question that was honestly and openly asked would have attracted open and honest answers.

userxx · 28/12/2020 07:47

@BusterGonad

Just to add, I've had many cats, they do not leave smells everywhere, so a cat on the bed is fine. They also have the ability to eat the food given to them by hand, where as a dog will take it and drop it 20 times then leave it and beg for more. Dogs are filty buggers.

I've grown up with dogs all my life and have yet to own one who drops food 20 times!! I'm not a massive cat fan, all that scratching furniture and pissing in the house puts me right off.

Therunecaster · 28/12/2020 08:22

Under the covers for this one!

aibu to not understand why dog owners let their dogs sleep with them in bed?
LST · 28/12/2020 08:25

@userxx pissing in house? Mine use a litter tray if they haven't been out for a long time. Is that what you mean?

KnitsAndGiggles · 28/12/2020 08:29

I feel sorry for some of you only living a half life with your pets (not including dogs staying downstairs because of hip issues).

No greater joy than my dog squirming her way up the bed into my arms of a morning for a cuddle

hopingforonlychild · 28/12/2020 08:52

I used to not understand it at all as I didn't grow up with pets but then I got a hamster and I let it walk around my bed. I think that when it's your pet, it's just different.

malificent7 · 28/12/2020 08:57

If i had a dog,cuddles in bed would be a must!

userxx · 28/12/2020 09:00

@LST No I mean literally pissing in the house. My friend has battled this problem for 15 years! She can't have a tree up as the cat pisses on the presents, her dad refuses to go into her house these days. I'm not a cat hater, grew up with a cat before the dogs arrived.

Madeupwithit · 28/12/2020 09:06

Letting a dog sleep in your bed is gross.

All dogs smell and those owners who think their dogs don't smell are wrong.

LemonLymanDotCom · 28/12/2020 09:08

Absolutely my DDog sleeps in my bed. He doesn't shed, doesn't have fleas, is pretty clean and he's so little he doesn't take up much space, and I love him to bits. All the dogs in my family have been 'bed dogs' so even before becoming a dog owner for myself, I saw it as entirely normal. He's been in my bed from the first night he came home, and as @WiddlinDiddlin said above, it really sped up toilet training. Whenever he woke in the night needing the loo, I felt him stir, so whipped him out into the garden to do his business & he was fully housetrained within 5 weeks. TBH, as I said to my mum the other day when we were talking about it, he's a vast improvement on some of the bed companions I've had over the years! Grin

LemonLymanDotCom · 28/12/2020 09:11

Apparently sharing a bed with your dog even improves sleep (if you're a woman), more so than if you're sharing with another human: www.healthline.com/health-news/why-women-sleep-better-with-dogs

EdersonsSmileyTattoo · 28/12/2020 09:13

Our dog sleeps in bed with us, I change the bedding every other day. She’s always slept with us and isn’t crate trained either so I’m sure I’m going to get my arse handed to me and told I’m disgusting, clatty and irresponsible!

She’s only little (JRT), she has paws, legs and tummy cleaned after each walk or when she’s been out for a wee and we’re happy with it so....

Overtime2019 · 28/12/2020 09:25

My two dogs sleep on my bed with me, one even gets under the covers

waterlego · 28/12/2020 09:33

Ours sleeps on the bed. Because he’s not a big dog and our bed is a Super King, and because he’s quite a nervous dog and likes company. And because life is short and cuddling a dog is free and simple and feels so nice for both human and dog. 🤷🏼‍♀️

aibu to not understand why dog owners let their dogs sleep with them in bed?
aibu to not understand why dog owners let their dogs sleep with them in bed?
aibu to not understand why dog owners let their dogs sleep with them in bed?
waterlego · 28/12/2020 09:34

^Two of those are sofa pics rather than bed, but same principle. Just wanted an excuse to share cute photos really.

Snackz · 28/12/2020 09:38

Each to their own but ours sleeps in his crate downstairs quite happily 😊

zaphodbeeble · 28/12/2020 09:41

Mine is snoozing on our bed with us right now

userxx · 28/12/2020 10:00

@waterlego He doesn't look that small either 🤣

longcoffeebreak · 28/12/2020 10:06

Oops 😀

aibu to not understand why dog owners let their dogs sleep with them in bed?
violetbunny · 28/12/2020 10:17

I often wake up with one cat on me, and the other one tucked up against me under the covers. It's the highlight of my day Smile

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 28/12/2020 10:21

The dogs work it out between themselves, one on the bod, the other one next to it.

We, the humans, don't mind, it's quite nice to have a fluffy dog keeping my back warm on a cold night.

As for hygiene, the sheets are changed regularly and a little dirt is good for you.

honeyytoast · 28/12/2020 10:22

I understand why people do it, especially with smaller fluffier dogs, but personally I find it disgusting. My ex boyfriend insisted on it and I really had to hold my tongue

Smallgoon · 28/12/2020 10:26

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

The dogs work it out between themselves, one on the bod, the other one next to it.

We, the humans, don't mind, it's quite nice to have a fluffy dog keeping my back warm on a cold night.

As for hygiene, the sheets are changed regularly and a little dirt is good for you.

Dirt? As in shit crumbs? Envy
BusterGonad · 28/12/2020 10:36

userxx well not literally 20 times, but quite a few. You don't need to get upset. Dogs are good, cats are good but dogs are honestly smellier than cats.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 28/12/2020 10:39

Oh the obsession with shit and cleanliness, it’s quite sad if it weren’t so dangerous for people’s health.

You are more likely to pick up said shit crumbs on a door handle, anywhere on public transport, on the shopping trolley’s handle and if you think your takeaway is safe from then then think again.